I MUA I TŌ WAIHANGA KIRIATA
Before you film
Screen Auckland is here to guide you through the film permit process so you can begin your production with confidence.
Discover a comprehensive collection of essential information, including resources on requirements and regulations.
The Auckland CBD with inner suburbs and the Waitemata harbour
Find out about getting a film permit in Auckland, working through your production’s requirements, and planning your application. We can support you through this process using our in-depth local knowledge to engage with stakeholders.
This practical resource is Auckland Council’s set of guidelines and requirements to enable filming in the region. It’s recommended that productions familiarise themselves with this framework before filming.
We encourage production companies planning to film in Auckland to engage with mana whenua – local iwi (tribes) with ancestral ties to the land. Consultation shows respect for cultural heritage and may be compulsory.
Find out how to plan your film permit application, including the requirements and supporting documents needed for different types of filming, together with other useful production logistics and information.
- Prepare your film permit application
Screen Auckland is here to guide you through the permit application process. Please use this handy film application pre-submission checklist to help you prepare for your application. You can find more important information you need for your production's filming requirements here.
If you have any questions reach out to our Film Facilitators.
- Auckland filming location fees
The location, size and impact of activities planned for your production will determine the total film permitting fee.
Fees range from $75 - $2045 per day. You can find a list of current fees here.
Please note, film permitting applications may incur costs additional to film permitting fees such as costs for regional park ranger monitoring and vehicle parking.
Tūpuna Maunga o Tamaki Makaurau Authority has its own fee structure for filming on tūpuna māunga in addition to Screen Auckland film permitting fees.
- FilmApp user guide
To streamline the application procedure, Screen Auckland utilises Apply4's FilmApp, a widely adopted application system used by various global locations.
Download this handy user guide to get you started.
- Environmental guidelines
We are proud of our beautiful natural landscapes in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland and the remarkable filming opportunities they can provide. To ensure the safety and protection of our region, some areas may require special conditions which may impact the timeframe for permitting.
Find out more about our environmental guidelines and how to protect our natural environments here.
- Filming with a drone
Using a drone for filming over public open space in Auckland often requires a filming permit, and conditions can be different depending on the location.
Find out more about drone permit requirements here.
- Legal and statutory requirements for productions
Screen Auckland's permit process is underpinned by crucial bylaws covering everything from insurance to health and safety. Utilise these guidelines to inform your pre-production planning effectively.
If you have any questions reach out to our Film Facilitators.
- Filming on road corridors
A permit is required to film on motorways and road networks. You can find more information about these spaces here.
Please get in contact with a Screen Auckland Facilitator as early as possible to discuss feasibility of specific locations.
- Mana whenua consultation for filming permissions
When planning to film in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, productions are expected to engage with mana whenua (spiritual and cultural authorities of the land) and involve them in the consultation process.
Learn more about engaging with mana whenua here.
Learn more about our rich cultural heritage here.
- Filming at Sites and Places of Significance to Mana Whenua
There are locations across Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland which have cultural significance to mana whenua. Under current legislation in the Auckland Unitary Plan, these are called Schedule 12 Sites and Places of Significance to Mana Whenua (SPSMW).
Auckland Council’s Policy and Planning Committee has approved a change to the Auckland Unitary Plan (Plan Change 106), making it simpler to film on publicly managed sites of significance to mana whenua.
Instead of applying for resource consent, most short-term filming on these sites can now be managed through the film permit process. This creates a faster, more agile pathway for production, while still ensuring robust cultural oversight. To achieve this, the production must complete a higher level of engagement and consultation with mana whenua.
Productions (of all scales) must allow at least 25 working days to process a SPSMW specific film permit. The key difference from a typical film permit is that the production must be able to confirm the appropriate mana whenua groups (iwi and hapū) have been consulted.
The application and activity must be consistent with any relevant iwi film protocol, iwi planning document, or cultural impact assessment prepared for the filming activity. Filming must maintain access for customary activities and apply tikanga as informed by mana whenua.
To issue a permit, we require clear documentation confirming that consultation has taken place.
To learn more about the next steps, please talk to our Screen Auckland Film Facilitators to discuss location feasibility.
Read more here about Plan Change 106 and the specific standards which must be met.
- Filming on Tūpuna Maunga
A permit is required for any filming or commercial still photography on the Auckland's volcanic cones (Tūpuna Maunga – ancestral mountains) regardless of its nature or scale.
Ensure that you allow for plenty of processing time for a maunga location, as applications for these locations require at least 20-25 working days.
Find out more about the requirements for filming on Tūpuna Maunga here.
- Health and safety
Your production is required to comply with any specific health and safety requirements or instructions set out in, or issued in conjunction with, your film permit and Auckland Council bylaws.
No permits will be issued without an approved Job Safety Analysis (JSA) or Health and Safety Plan. Further information and can be found when applying through FilmApp.
You can also find information and resources on health and safety regulations specific to the screen industry at ScreenSafe.
